View Single Post
Old 09-15-2008, 08:24 PM   #4 (permalink)
Baraka_Guru
warrior bodhisattva
 
Baraka_Guru's Avatar
 
Super Moderator
Location: East-central Canada
Quote:
Originally Posted by kurty[B] View Post
3) - if you have debt, pay that off (this should be number 1)
QFT.

After all, what's the point in earning even a solid 8% return on an investment when you're carrying debts that have an interest rate of more than double that at, say, 18%?

Paying down debts can be a better "investment" than stuffing cash into an investment vehicle. Nipping future interest expenses in the bud can save you a whack of cash.

Also, I agree that those ISA accounts are good for a reasonable interest rate while still having access to cash. The 3-to-6 month rule is a good one.

I'll just add as well: The sooner you get a mortgage and pay it off, the better. There isn't much better security than actually owning your own home. Look for a mortgage plan that allows for accelerated payments and lump sum deposits.

My 3:

1. Pay off debt. (Do this first. Very first.)
2. Set up RRSPs or 401K...maximize contributions each year. (Do this concurrently with #3, if you can.)
3. Get a mortgage on a house that's set to appreciate reasonably well...pay off the mortgage as fast as you can.

Next: Invest to your heart's content. Try value investing.
__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

Last edited by Baraka_Guru; 09-15-2008 at 08:32 PM..
Baraka_Guru is offline  
 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76